Volumetric dispensing fitment and package including the same

ABSTRACT

A fitment for package holding a liquid and a package including such a fitment. The fitment is a metering dispensing valve arranged to be secured to a flexible bag for selectively dispensing a metered quantity of the liquid therefrom. It includes a compressible bulb and a piercing member which when actuated pierces through the bag to enable a metered amount of the liquid to be drawn into a reservoir in the bulb. The bulb can then be compressed to dispense the metered amount of liquid from the reservoir. The dispensing valve also includes a inlet valve to the reservoir and an outlet valve from the reservoir. The fitment may include a pair of barriers to enable it to be sterilized before being secured to the bag form an aseptic package.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application Ser.No. 60/864,424, filed on Nov. 6, 2006, entitled Volumetric DispensingFitment and Package Including the Same, which is assigned to the sameassignee as the subject application and whose disclosure is incorporatedby reference herein.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

“Not Applicable”

INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISK

“Not Applicable”

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

This invention relates generally to flexible packages and moreparticularly to flexible packages including a fitment for dispensing ametered amount of liquid within the packages.

2. Description of Related Art

Numerous patents disclose flexible packing for holding liquids and fordispensing the liquid through a fitment outlet or tap forming a portionof the package. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,429,810 (Hample et al.),U.S. Pat. No. 3,696,969 (De Van et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,314,654(Gaubert), U.S. Pat. No. 4,416,395 (Gaubert), U.S. Pat. No. 4,452,378(Christine), U.S. Pat. No. 4,602,725 (Malpas et al.), U.S. Pat. No.6,131,767 (Savage et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 6,446,845 (Steiger) andpublished application 2005/0121464A1.

The devices of the above identified prior art make use of gravity toenable the liquid within the flexible package to be dispensed from thepackage. As will be appreciated by those *0 skilled in the art, when thecontents of the flexible package has reached a very low level there maynot be sufficient static head to enable the dispensing of furtheramounts, thereby leaving some liquid still within the package. Moreover,the dispensing packages of the prior art making use of gravity as themechanism for effecting the dispensing operation may not provide preciseand repeatable metering of the liquid being dispensed.

Flexible packages for use with pumps also exist in the prior art. Seefor example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,576,313 (Smith et al.), U.S. Pat. No.5,819,986 (Last et al.) and U.S. Pat. No. 6,082,584 (Stern).

While the aforementioned packages with fitments may be generallysuitable for their intended purposes, they suffer from one or more ofthe drawbacks, e.g., simplicity of construction, low cost, effectivenessin dispensing repeated metered amounts of liquid, and effectivenessdispensing the entire contents of the package. The subject inventionaddresses the needs of the prior art.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a fitment for a package holding a liquidtherein and a package including such a fitment. The fitment is arrangedfor selectively dispensing a metered quantity of the liquid from thepackage. The package comprises a flexible bag having a wall. The fitmentis in the form of a metering valve. The metering valve has a body, afluid inlet check valve, a fluid outlet check valve, a compressiblebulb, a piercing element and an outlet. The compressible bulb defines acollapsible reservoir into which a portion of the liquid from the bagcan be transferred for dispensing. The inlet valve is arranged toisolate the reservoir from the bag. The outlet valve is arranged toisolate the reservoir from the outlet.

The piercing element is coupled to the compressible bulb, whereupon whenthe bulb is compressed it causes the piercing element to pierce througha portion of the wall of the bag. The valve is arranged when the bulb isreleased thereafter for automatically opening the inlet valve andclosing the outlet valve, whereupon a metered amount of the liquid isdrawn into the reservoir. The metering valve is further arranged so thatwhen the bulb is compressed after the liquid is drawn into the reservoirthe outlet valve is automatically opened to dispense a metered amount ofthe liquid through the outlet.

In accordance with another aspect of this invention the fitment is asterilized member arranged to form an aseptic package. In this aspect ofthe invention the fitment additionally comprises an inlet barrier and anoutlet barrier. The inlet barrier is initially disposed over the inletand the outlet barrier is initially disposed over the outlet, whereuponthe interior of the fitment is initially sealed and isolated from theambient atmosphere so that it can be exposed to ionizing radiation torender its internal surfaces sterile. The fitment is then secured to thewall of the bag to complete the aseptic package. The outlet barrier isarranged to be removed from the outlet. In use, the piercing memberpierces both the inlet barrier and the portion of the wall of the bag sothat the material within the bag can gain ingress into the interior ofthe fitment for dispensing therefrom as described above.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be described in conjunction with the followingdrawings in which like reference numerals designate like elements andwherein:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a portion of a flexible package having afitment in the form of a dispensing valve constructed in accordance withthis invention secured thereto and showing the valve before its firstuse;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but showing the valve during theinitial step in its use;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIGS. 1 and, but showing the valve during asubsequent step in its use;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIGS. 1-3 showing the valve at a still laterstep in its use, i.e., when the liquid within the flexible package isdispensed out of the package; and

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but showing an alternative fitmentfor use in an aseptic flexible package.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In FIG. 1 there is shown at one exemplary embodiment of a disposablepackage 20 for holding and dispensing a liquid 10, e.g., coffee creamer.The package 20 is in the form of a flexible bag or pouch 22 having afitment 24 secured thereto. The fitment 24 is constructed in accordancewith this invention and serves as a metering dispensing valve formetering a predetermined quantity of the liquid 10 into it and fordispensing that metered quantity of liquid out of it when desired. Theflexible package can be of any conventional construction, e.g., formedof a polymeric film of one or more layers.

The fitment (dispensing valve) 24 basically comprises a body 26, a fluidinlet check valve 28, a fluid outlet check valve 30, a compressible bulb32 and a piercing element 34. The valve body 26 includes a hollowcylindrical section 36 having a peripheral flange 38 at one end thereof,an annular undercut recess 40 at its opposite end, a central wall 42 anda spout 44. The peripheral flange 38 is arranged to be fixedly secured,e.g., welded, to the wall of the bag 22 in which the liquid 10 to bedispensed is located. The end of the hollow cylindrical section is opento form the inlet 36A to the fitment 24. The central wall 42 includes aninlet opening 46 and an outlet opening 48. The inlet opening 46 is influid communication with the hollow interior of the valve body 26. Theoutlet opening 48 is in fluid communication with the hollow interior ofthe spout 44. The spout 44 extends generally perpendicularly to thelongitudinal central axis 50 of the valve body 26 and is open at itsfree end to form the outlet 52 of the fitment 24.

The compressible bulb 32 comprises a resilient, e.g., rubber, member,which together with the associated portion of the valve body 26 forms acollapsible chamber or reservoir into which a metered amount of liquid10 from the bag 22 is transferred for subsequent dispensing. In theexemplary embodiment shown the compressible bulb 32 is of generallyhemispheric shape having an annular peripheral flanged rim 54. Theinterior of the bulb 32 is hollow so that its inner wall and thecontiguous portions of the hollow interior of the valve body 26 form theheretofore mentioned reservoir. The volumetric capacity of thatreservoir is a matter of choice, depending upon the liquid to bedispensed. Thus, for application wherein the bag 22 contains a coffeecreamer, the reservoir has a capacity of approximately 0.5 oz. sincethat is a typical amount of creamer used for a cup of coffee. The rim 54of the bulb 32 is arranged for receipt within the undercut recess 40 ofthe valve body 26 to secure the bulb to the body.

The fluid outlet check valve 30 is of any suitable construction, e.g., aflap valve, and is mounted within the hollow valve body on the centralwall 42 adjacent the outlet opening 48 on the side of the wall closestto the flange 38. This valve is normally closed to isolate the interiorof the bulb from the spout 44, except during the dispensing operation(to be described later). The fluid inlet check valve 28, is also of anysuitable construction, e.g., a flap valve, and is also mounted withinthe hollow body on the central wall 42 adjacent the inlet opening 46,but is located on the opposite side of the central wall 42 as the outletfluid check valve 30. The fluid inlet check valve is normally open sothat the hollow interior of the valve body 26 is in fluid communicationwith the hollow interior of the bulb 32.

The piercing element 34 basically comprises a rod-like plunger 58 havinga bulbous free end 60 which is held within a mating socket 62 making upthe inner surface of the apex of the bulb 32. The opposite end of theplunger 58 is in the form of plural piercing teeth 64. The plunger 58extends through a central hole 66 in the central wall 42 of the valvebody, which hole serves as a guide to enable the plunger 58 toreciprocate through it along the longitudinal axis 50. The length of theplunger 58 is selected so that when the dispensing valve 20 is in itsnormally closed state, such as shown in FIG. 1, the piercing teeth 64 ofthe plunger 58 are spaced from the wall of the flexible bag or pouch 22onto which the dispensing valve 20 is secured.

Operation of the dispensing valve 20 will now be described. To that end,when it is desired to dispense a metered amount of the liquid 10, theuser merely presses on the distal end of the bulb 32 to compress thebulb. This action causes the plunger 58 to move to the left as shown inFIG. 2, whereupon the teeth 64 of the piercing element penetrate thewall of the bag 22 so that the liquid 10 contents can flow into thehollow interior of the dispensing valve 24. When the bulb 32 iscompressed, such as shown in FIG. 2, the flap of the fluid inlet valve28 is caused to move into engagement with the central wall 42 contiguouswith the inlet opening 46, thereby closing off that opening andpreventing any liquid 10 from the bag 22 from entering into the hollowinterior (reservoir) of the bulb 32. The compression of the bulb 32 alsoforces the air that was within its reservoir to pass through the outletopening 48, thereby causing the flap of the fluid outlet valve 30 tomove off of the portion of the central wall 42 contiguous with theopening 48 so that the air escapes from the valve through thecommunicating spout 44.

When the user releases the bulb 32, such as shown in FIG. 3, the naturalresiliency of the material making up the bulb, e.g., the rubber, causesit to reassume its normal shape, whereupon the reservoir within itexpands. This action creates a vacuum within the reservoir to cause thefluid inlet valve 28 to open and the fluid outlet valve 30 to close.Moreover, the negative pressure on the flap of the fluid outlet valveholds it in the closed position. The opening of the fluid inlet valve 28coupled with the vacuum created within the bulb's reservoir draws theliquid 10 from the bag 22 into the valve 20 as shown by the arrow inFIG. 3, whereupon the liquid 10 enters and fills the reservoir.Accordingly a metered amount of liquid is now within the reservoir readyto be dispensed, when desired.

To that end, all that is required to dispense the metered amount ofliquid is for the user to again depress the bulb 32, like shown in FIG.4, whereupon pressure on the liquid within the reservoir acts againstthe flap of outlet valve 30 to cause that valve to open and the liquidto pass through the outlet opening 48 out of the spout 44, e.g., into acup 68 of coffee located below the spout.

It should be pointed out at this juncture that the size (capacity) andshape of the bulb and its reservoir is a matter of design choice. Thus,the valve of this invention can be constructed to dispense quantities offluid in amounts other than 0.5 oz.

In FIG. 5 there is shown an alternative embodiment of a fitmentconstructed in accordance with this invention. That alternative fitmentis identical in construction to fitment 24 except for the addition of aninlet barrier 70 and an outlet barrier 72. Thus, in the interest ofbrevity the same reference numbers will be given to the commoncomponents of the fitments shown in FIGS. 1 and 5 and the details oftheir construction and operation will not be reiterated. To that end, ascan be seen in FIG. 5 the inlet barrier 70 is disposed over the inletopening 36A of the fitment 24. The inlet barrier 70 basically comprisesa thin pierceable membrane formed of any suitable material which issecured about the entire periphery of the inlet to the fitment. Thebarrier membrane may be heat sealed to the periphery of the inlet or maybe molded in place, e.g., molded in-situ with the formation of the bodyof the fitment. The outlet barrier 72 also constitutes a thin membrane,but is located over the outlet 52 by being releasably secured to theperiphery of the outlet. With the inlet and outlet barriers in place,the fitment 24 of FIG. 5 is sealed, i.e., its interior surfaces areisolated from the ambient atmosphere. In this state the fitment can beirradiated, e.g., exposed to ionizing radiation to render all of itsinternal surfaces sterile. The sterile fitment can then be used in aconventional form, fill and seal machine (not shown) to fixedly secureit to the wall of the bag 22 under aseptic conditions for applicationswherein the package will be holding contents requiring an asepticpackage, e.g., flowable foodstuffs, etc. To that end, the sterilizedfitment when located within the form, fill and seal machine can besubjected to vapor phase H₂O₂ to sterilize its exterior surfaces, and inparticular the mounting flange 38, whereupon the fitment can then besecured to the wall of the bag or pouch 22. Once filled and sealed inthat manner, the resulting package is an aseptic, sterile dispensingpackage.

Use of the aseptic package using the fitment of FIG. 5 to dispense itscontents is accomplished in a similar manner as described above, exceptthat the outlet barrier membrane 72 must be removed to uncover thefitment's outlet 52. Then depression of the bulb 32 can be accomplished,whereupon the sharp teeth 64 of the piercing element 34 will firstpierce through the inlet barrier membrane 72 and then through theimmediately underlying portion of the wall of the bag or pouch 22,whereupon the contents of the bag or pouch can flow into the fitment andbe dispensed therefrom in the same manner as described above.

While the invention has been described in detail and with reference tospecific examples thereof, it will be apparent to one skilled in the artthat various changes and modifications can be made therein withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope thereof.

1. A fitment for package holding a liquid therein, said fitment beingarranged for selectively dispensing a metered quantity of the liquidfrom the package, the package comprising a flexible bag having a wall,said a fitment being in the form of a metering valve, said meteringvalve having a body, a fluid inlet check valve, a fluid outlet checkvalve, a compressible bulb, a piercing element and an outlet, saidcompressible bulb defining a collapsible reservoir into which a portionof the liquid from the bag can be transferred for dispensing, said inletvalve being arranged to isolate said reservoir from the bag, said outletvalve being arranged to isolate said reservoir from said outlet, saidpiercing element being coupled to said compressible bulb, whereupon whensaid bulb is compressed it causes said piercing element to piercethrough a portion of the wall of the bag, said valve being arranged whensaid bulb is thereafter released for automatically opening said inletvalve and closing said outlet valve, whereupon a metered amount of theliquid is drawn into said reservoir, said metering valve being furtherarranged so that when said bulb is compressed after the liquid is drawninto said reservoir said outlet valve is automatically opened todispense a metered amount of the liquid through said outlet.
 2. Thefitment of claim 1 wherein said fitment additionally comprises an inletbarrier and an outlet barrier, said inlet barrier being initiallydisposed over said inlet and said outlet barrier being initiallydisposed over said outlet, whereupon the interior of said fitment isinitially sealed and isolated from the ambient atmosphere so that it canbe exposed to ionizing radiation to render its internal surfacessterile, whereupon said fitment is ready to be secured to the wall ofsaid bag.
 3. The fitment of claim 2 wherein said inlet barrier comprisesa thin membrane heat sealed over said inlet and arranged to be piercedby said piercing element.
 4. The fitment of claim 2 wherein said inletbarrier comprises a thin membrane that is molded over said inlet andarranged to be pierced by said piercing element.
 5. The fitment of claim2 wherein said outlet barrier comprises a membrane releasably securedover said outlet.
 6. An aseptic fitment for package holding a liquidtherein, the package comprising a flexible bag having a wall, said afitment being in the form of a metering valve comprising a body, aninlet, an inlet barrier, a fluid inlet check valve, a fluid outlet checkvalve, a compressible bulb, a piercing element, an outlet and an outletbarrier, said inlet barrier being disposed over said inlet and saidoutlet barrier being disposed over said outlet, whereupon the interiorof said fitment is initially sealed and isolated from the ambientatmosphere, said fitment being arranged to be exposed to ionizingradiation to render its internal surfaces sterile and thereafter fixedlysecured to the wall of the flexible bag for selectively dispensing ametered quantity of the liquid from the package, said outlet barrierbeing arranged to be removed from said outlet, said compressible bulbdefining a collapsible reservoir into which a portion of the liquid fromthe bag can be transferred for dispensing, said inlet valve beingarranged to isolate said reservoir from the bag, said outlet valve beingarranged to isolate said reservoir from said outlet, said piercingelement being coupled to said compressible bulb, whereupon when saidbulb is compressed it causes said piercing element to pierce throughsaid inlet barrier and a portion of the wall of the bag, said valvebeing arranged when said bulb is thereafter released for automaticallyopening said inlet valve and closing said outlet valve, whereupon ametered amount of the liquid is drawn into said reservoir, said meteringvalve being further arranged so that when said bulb is compressed afterthe liquid is drawn into said reservoir said outlet valve isautomatically opened to dispense a metered amount of the liquid throughsaid outlet.
 7. The fitment of claim 6 wherein said inlet barriercomprises a thin membrane heat sealed over said inlet and arranged to bepierced by said piercing element.
 8. The fitment of claim 6 wherein saidinlet barrier comprises a thin membrane that is molded over said inletand arranged to be pierced by said piercing element.
 9. The fitment ofclaim 6 wherein said outlet barrier comprises a membrane releasablysecured over said outlet.
 10. A package for holding and selectivelydispensing a metered quantity of a liquid therefrom, said packagecomprising a flexible bag and a fitment, said bag having a hollowinterior in which the liquid is located and a wall, said fitment beingin the form of a metering valve, said metering valve having a body, afluid inlet check valve, a fluid outlet check valve, a compressiblebulb, a piercing element and an outlet, said compressible bulb defininga collapsible reservoir into which a portion of the liquid from said bagcan transferred for dispensing, said inlet valve being arranged toisolate said reservoir from said bag, said outlet valve being arrangedto isolate said reservoir from said outlet, said piercing element beingcoupled to said compressible bulb, whereupon when said bulb iscompressed it causes said piercing element to pierce through a portionof said wall of said bag, said valve being arranged when said bulb isthereafter released for automatically opening said inlet valve andclosing said outlet valve, whereupon a metered amount of said liquid isdrawn into said reservoir, said valve being further arranged so thatwhen said bulb is compressed thereafter said outlet valve isautomatically opened to dispense said metered amount of said liquidthrough said outlet.
 11. The package of claim 10 wherein said fitmentadditionally comprises an inlet barrier and an outlet barrier, saidinlet barrier being initially disposed over said inlet and said outletbarrier being initially disposed over said outlet, whereupon theinterior of said fitment is initially sealed and isolated from theambient atmosphere so that it can be exposed to ionizing radiation torender its internal surfaces sterile, whereupon said fitment is ready tobe secured to said wall of said bag.
 12. The package of claim 11 whereinsaid inlet barrier comprises a thin membrane heat sealed over said inletand arranged to be pierced by said piercing element.
 13. The package ofclaim 11 wherein said inlet barrier comprises a thin membrane that ismolded over said inlet and arranged to be pierced by said piercingelement.
 14. The package of claim 11 wherein said outlet barriercomprises a membrane releasably secured over said outlet.